More Exciting News

Nickie

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I received an email from a therapist in hospice's Palliative Care Dept. I was able to get an audition to play three songs for her later this month. If she likes what she hears, I may be able to play the uke for (some) patients and families again!
I'll want all of your positive thoughts and energies that day. I'm working hard on those songs and more. This would give me a lot more appreciation for my job!
I'll post again on this when I learn more!
 
What a wonderful thing that would be--for you as well as the patients. Can I ask--is this where you already work but would just be an additional duty?

I consider music to be humankind's greatest discovery. Discovery--not invention, because music already existed long before we came along and will exist well after we've shuffled off.

I have played at nursing homes and in group homes for the physically and developmentally disabled--places where I also worked as regular staff in many cases. It's a shared gift between the player and the listener.

I wish you the best and I believe I speak for us all when I say we'.ll be holding good thoughts for you, sending you positive mojo and hope you'll report back on the outcome!
 
Good news indeed.
 
Splendid news!

How can s/he possibly deprive the patients of a little bit of pleasure. :)

Edit: If comes down to copyright issues, you are welcome to use any of my (original) ditties. :D

(Likely, others on here who write their own would also agree to you using them.)
 
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That is awesome news!! I am sending all positive thoughts your way!

My father was in hospice care in Aug 2014 and I had just started playing in April/May of that year. I brought along my ukulele and would quietly play it when he was sleeping. I was sitting on a bench outside his room in a courtyard playing when a few other people came out. I told them I hoped I wasn't bothering them and could stop playing so they could talk and enjoy the outside air (they too were there for a loved one). They told me the music was what drew them outside and insisted I keep playing. It gave them a nice happy break from the sadness they were feeling. You are such a caring person Nickie. I hope this works out for you so you can bring even a little peace and happiness to people. Best of luck!
 
That is awesome news!! I am sending all positive thoughts your way!

My father was in hospice care in Aug 2014 and I had just started playing in April/May of that year. I brought along my ukulele and would quietly play it when he was sleeping. I was sitting on a bench outside his room in a courtyard playing when a few other people came out. I told them I hoped I wasn't bothering them and could stop playing so they could talk and enjoy the outside air (they too were there for a loved one). They told me the music was what drew them outside and insisted I keep playing. It gave them a nice happy break from the sadness they were feeling. You are such a caring person Nickie. I hope this works out for you so you can bring even a little peace and happiness to people. Best of luck!

That is such an excellent story. Little things like this not only illustrate the power of music but also helps me keep my faith in the goodness of humanity. Sincerely.
 
Very cool, WC!
Yes, Griffis, it will be additional to the patient care I am doing now.
I played for patients and families for about 3 years, but after corporate restructuring (You all know what that means) I was told to stop it because I am not a Certified Music Therapist, and they saw it as a liability.
My audition is on May 24th.
Thank you all for your encouragement!
 
That's wonderful! I hope that it will all go well.

I knew that my Dad was at the very end when he didn't want to listen to music anymore. Up until then, it was an important part of his day. It's great that you might be able to bring music to patients and their families. My Dad would have loved it.

I used to bring one of my dogs to visit at the VA hospital, and we visited the hospice unit as well. It meant a lot to both the patients and their families to have a dog come visit.

I hope your audition goes well!
 
Very, very good Nickie.
 
Kudos to you Nickie for keeping at them to let you bring your music back to your work!!! :music:

It's about damn time somebody there woke up and stopped being a bureaucrat and started thinking about easing the suffering of others, who have nothing to look forward to except more pain, and then death.

Sorry, but recent experience has taught me that the healthcare industry in the USA cares nothing about health nor care, but instead about monetizing illness in every way possible, much to the detriment of those they are supposed to be helping.

It is only from folks like you Nickie that have a heart full of compassion and a soul full of eternal kindness that any true human care is given or received.

Thank you Nickie, for all you do to help people, for EVERYTHING.

I'm rooting for you and praying they let the music come back with you.

:music:
 
Thank you Booli. And the rest of my friends here rooting for me. I have done everything in my heart to forgive the powers that be for taking that away from patients. I had just about forgotten all about it, and resigned myself to the fact that this is just another job and a paycheck until I retire or wheeze my last breath.
It sucks that most of the time, a nurse is the only thing that a patient has for a friend, advocate, comforter, or healer. The doctors are in a big assed hurry. The insurance companies are money mills, just like the hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and drug companies. The WORST thing that ever happened to medicine was capitalization and commercialism. People that get rich off other's illness, well to hell with them.
Most days I really wish I could go back to urban farming (I dream about it a lot) but the competition is so fierce there's no money in it anymore.
Next to morphine and Ativan (which don't work for everyone), live music is the best way to achieve comfort when one is sick as hell.
SIGH....sorry for the diatribe.
Color me hopeful!
 
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The best way to achieve comfort when one is sick, (or any time), is by having people show compassion and caring, which you are clearly doing. (I know that the drugs are a critical part of keeping hospice patients comfortable, too.) A wonderful part of live music is that it can be shared with family and friends of the patient. They need to achieve comfort, too.
 
Good luck to you Nickie....if only there were more folk like you in the world it would be such a super place to live in.

Plucky....X
 
Well, I made it through the audition. The Director of Palliative Arts, who is a Music Therapist, was very kind and encouraging. I played two instrumental songs (screwed up one). Then she changed the scenario, so I felt I needed to engage the imaginary patient a little more, so I did 3 Little Birds by Marley. Her smile grew wider and wider.
We then visited a little while about music, musicians, and the ukulele. She said "welcome to the group, I will email you with the date and location of the workshop."
Then she told me she is thinking of taking up the uke, and asked me if TBUS could do an ukulele workshop for hospice employees and volunteers!
Needless to say, I am elated.
Thank you all for your support!
 
Way to go. Pretty soon you'll have her and others playing along with you.
 
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